Document directory

A study on the challenges injured workers face finds they join peer support groups when they feel misunderstood and unfairly treated.

A study of overall injury risk finds time spent in sports and recreational activities raises the risk of injury more than time spent at work.

This three-part kit is designed to inform the workplace parties about what musculoskeletal disorders are and how they can be recognized, assessed and controlled to minimize their impact on workers, based upon a guideline developed by system partners in Ontario.

Health-care workers are more likely to miss work because of illness and disability than workers in other sectors. This study compares disability management practices across four types of health-care workplaces: hospitals, nursing homes, private clinics and community clinics.

An overall decline in workers' compensation lost-time claim rates in Ontario from 1990 to 2003, partly explained by decreases in the industrial sectors of the number of people working in manual jobs.

A study of a large sample of sawmill workers from 1989 to 1997 finds falls and machinery are the main causes of injuries, but also that injury rates have been on the decline since 1994.

Some social groups are more likely than others to be affected negatively by changes in the labour market. What's more, these groups are also more susceptible to negative health effects of the insecurities that arise with these changes.

Health-care workers face a high risk of developing injuries to their muscles, tendons or other soft-tissues, including back pain. These injuries are also known as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). IWH conducted a systematic review to summarize the existing scientific literature on the effectiveness of MSD prevention programs for health-care workers.

People with back injuries may experience different patterns of recovery. Knowing how people recover may help clinicians who treat patients with back injuries.

A portion of health-care costs among injured sawmill workers in British Columbia are not reimbursed by the provincial workers' compensation agency, suggesting that prevention efforts could target the more costly injuries to reduce hospital costs.

Rehabilitation programs such as fitness training, exercises and weight training are no better than the usual care to help patients recover from whiplash.

Too much health care too early after a whiplash injury has a negative affect on a patient's recovery, a study finds. It confirms that the results of an earlier study are not due to chance.

Compared to trainees, practising chiropractors use radiography more often. Reasons include attendance at seminars or courses encouraging radiography use, financial pressures or fear of malpractice.

Young workers view workplace injuries as "part of the job," particularly when the injuries don't require medical attention, study finds. Furthermore, these workers generally don't think these less severe injuries are of interest to their managers.

A study of six early return-to-work strategies finds accommodation offers and communication with health-care professionals are two critical factors to success.

Health-care workers face a high risk of developing injuries to their muscles, tendons or other soft-tissues, including back pain. Many prevention initiatives have been used to try to prevent these musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from occurring in health-care workers. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these programs. This report summarizes a systematic review of the literature on the effectiveness of MSD prevention programs for health-care workers.

Young workers are more likely than older workers to sustain work injuries, and as a result, significant resources have been spent on young worker safety programs. This systematic review takes a comprehensive look at the factors that lead young workers to get injured.

What individual, job and workplace factors are associated with occupational disease among young people 12 to 24 years of age? This systematic review report summarizes the factors associated with occupational disease among young workers.

Protecting the health of healthcare workers. The Institute for Work & Health's 2005 Annual Report

This systematic review examines studies on the effects of workplace interventions on two of the most common health complaints among computer users: visual symptoms and upper-body musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

Young workers are more likely than older workers to sustain work injuries, and as a result, significant resources have been spent on young worker safety programs. This systematic review takes a comprehensive look at the factors that lead young workers to get injured.

What is known about the reliability and validity of occupational health and safety (OHS) audit instruments? This narrative literature review looks at OHS audit tools for OHS management systems, including those designed for high-hazard and high-reliability operations.

A study of injury rates among young workers finds Ontario has the lowest rate and Saskatchewan the highest.

A worksite ergonomics program was linked to a drop in frequent and severe pain among those with repetitive strain injuries. Supervisor support and workers' ability to make decisions are also significant factors.

A Cochrane review of treatments for low-back pain finds positive results for three herbal medicines, particularly Devil's Claw. However, no evidence exists to suggest that any of these substances are safe and useful for long-term use.

This practical guide is designed to help with knowledge transfer planning, based on a model that promotes building and nurturing relationships between those who produce research and those who use it. The short guide, written by experts and pioneers in KTE, includes advice and worksheets on creating messages, understanding audiences, transferring knowledge, and defining impacts.

The most common occupational health complaints among computer users are visual problems such as eye discomfort and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as pain in the neck and upper extremities. This report shares the findings of a systematic review to identify studies that evaluated the effects of workplace interventions on visual or upper extremity MSDs among computer users.

Several workplace factors are connected with depression among female workers, including the balance between worker effort and rewards, and the balance between work and family pressures.

Based on current evidence, traction as a single treatment is not effective for patients with low-back pain, with or without sciatica. However, there are very few high-quality studies in this field.

A participatory ergonomic approach can improve risk factors related to musculoskeletal disorders, and meaningful worker participation in the process is an important aspect for the success of this approach.

A study of patients with shoulder disorders finds age is the only factor predicting which patients are more likely to do better after physical therapy.

Contrary to what's often reported in the media, and to what the researchers expected, there is no evidence that Canadian workers experience more work stressors than they did five years earlier.

Poor physical health and more depressed mood significantly increased the total number of days that workers received compensation benefits, study finds.

Study participants recovering from work-related musculoskeletal disorders report a significant drop in the amount of time they spend providing care to family outside of work.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders may cost society more than currently believed, as injured workers experience symptoms both before their claims and after they return to work.

The use of occupational health and safety (OHS) audits has grown in recent years, and is now seen as an effective method for ensuring compliance and improving the performance of prevention systems. IWH carried out a narrative literature review in order to determine what is known about the reliability and validity of these audit instruments, as outlined in this report.

Studies have found that young workers are more likely than older workers to sustain work injuries and, as a result, significant resources have been spent on young worker safety programs. However, these programs were developed without a comprehensive look at the factors that lead young workers to get injured. IWH undertook a systematic review, detailed in this report, to determine what factors are associated with work injury and illness among young workers.

Dedicated to Change. The Institute for Work & Health's 2004 Annual Report

This report shares the findings of a study looking at the effects of New Experimental Experience Rating (NEER), an employer incentive program of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board in Ontario. The study is based on case studies in the health-care, transportation and manufacturing sectors.

By improving the ergonomics of work and workplaces, it should be possible to prevent or reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and increase productivity. This systematic review summarizes the evidence on the effectiveness of workplace-based participatory ergonomics interventions in improving workers' health.

Occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMSs) have developed considerably over the last 20 years, yet little is known about their effectiveness. The systematic review aimed to provide the evidence on the the effectiveness of mandatory and voluntary OHSMSs and identify facilitators and barriers to their adoption and implementation.

Occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMSs) have developed considerably over the last 20 years, yet little is known about their effectiveness. This report summarizes the findings of a systematic review on the facilitators and barriers to the adoption and effectiveness of OHSMSs.

The inappropriate design of workplaces and work processes contributes significantly to the development of common work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). By improving ergonomic aspects of work and workplaces, it should be possible to prevent or reduce these disorders and increase productivity. One practice advocated for improving workplace design and processes is participatory ergonomics. This report shares the findings of a systematic review on the effectiveness of workplace-based participatory ergonomic interventions in improving workers' health.

This report details the outcomes of an Ontario Regional Knowledge Transfer and Exchange Workshop that took place in 2005. The workshop, part of an initiative to support the development of knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) capacity, resulted in eight key messages about the direction of KTE.

Keeping Pace with Change. The Institute for Work & Health's 2003 Annual Report

This report contains appendices to the systematic review of the quantitative and qualitative literature of workplace-based return-to-work interventions.

Employers, insurers and workers have expressed a growing interest in workplace-based return-to-work (RTW) intervention studies. To provide a comprehensive summary of the most effective workplace-based RTW interventions , the Institute for Work & Health conducted a systematic review of the return-to-work literature published since 1990. The results are included in this report.